Footgear



Patented Dec. 8, 1925.

UNITED STATES p 1,564,874 PATENT OFFICE. y

" MARK F. MADDEN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

rooTGnAR, i i

Application filed October 4, 1921.l Serial No. 505,267.

than occurs when the foot is naked, to render the person more comfortable, and when parts of the foot are tender, or sore, to relieve pressure, by the weight of the foot, against such part or parts.

.As a premise to the following description it may be stated that even when the foot of a person is in substantially normal condition, the fact that the weight of the naked foot, when lying on its side, is borne by relatively restricted areas of the foot more particularly the ankle-bones and the side of the ball of an outer toe, often produces discomfort to the person, and in this connection it is one of my objects to provide for such distribution of the pressure against the footthat it will be exerted against greater areas thereof than in the case of the naked foot, either only over areas not subjected to the pressure in the case of a naked foot, or over such other areas also those subjected to pressure in the case of a naked foot, the pressure being preferably substantially equalized over those areas.

which it is intended to take the pressure.

Furthermore most persons suffer afflic-v tions of the feet which produce great dls-A comfort and oftentimes distress, especially when they are lying in bed Vdue to the weight of the feet pressing the afflicted or tender portions of the feet, against the mattress portion of the bed. This commonly occurs where the person has corns, bunions, tender skin, especially over the ankle-bones, and other similar aiilictions. In this connection it is another object of my invention to provide foot-gear whereby discomfort and distress occurring as above stated will be prevented by providing a construction of foot-gear of such character that these tender and sore portionsl of the feet will not press against the mattress portion but the pressure against the foot when lying on its side will be exerted against other portions of the foot than the sore or tender portions.`

Referring to the accompanying drawing: Figure l is a perspective view of a footgear embodying my improvements. Figure 2 is a plan sectional view of the same taken through the lower portion of the foot-gear; and Figure 3, a view in sectional elevation of the foot-gear, the section being taken transversely of the structure and showing a foot in rear elevation encased therein.

In accordance with the preferred embodiment of my invention'I form the foot-gear i of an outer casing, or covering, represented at 4, this casing being preferably of very soft and flexible material as for example silk, and shaped to present the form shown in the drawing, more particularly to present the straight side portions extending from the toe to the heel portion at opposite sides of the structure as represented at 5 and 6.

As hereinbefore stated, the primary purpose of the foot-gear is to distribute the pressure against the foot otherwise `than that occurring in the case of a naked foot and when the foot presents sore or tender parts to relieve these parts from pressure and to this end I provide within the casing 4 padding 7 of any' suitable soft material such as that commonly used as the padding for insoles but preferably so prepared as to be somewhat'more fluffy and less liable to becomein packed condition, the padding being so disposed in the casing, as shown, that it will form a padding or cushion at each side of the foot for causing the pressure exerted against the foot by the weight thereof when lying on its side to be distributed as desired. It will be understood that the arrangement of the padding will i depend on the particular desired distribution of the pressure against the foot. In the construction shown, and by way of example, the padding is formed with a socket, or depressed portion, 8 into which the bunion on the large toe of the foot would extend. It is also formed with a socket, or depressed portion, 9 into which the bunion on the small toe of the foot would extend, and also with sockets or depressions l0 into which the ankle-bones of the foot would extend, the padding preferably extending along opposite sides of the foot to a point above the ankle-bones. Where the structure is to be used on a normal foot where it is desired that the Qpressureexerted by the foot in lying on its side be exerted against a large area of the side of the foot, including the ankle-bone' and the ball of an outer toe, the padding would be so arranged and positioned as to so direct the pressure, preferably to a uniform degree over these areas, and. where pressure on any part of the side of the foot is to be avoided,

. vent pressure ragainst f such yparts when the .foot is lying on its side, or in other words vthe sore or tender parts would, 1n effect, be

ythe padding would berecessed as explained,

thereby to avoid pressure on such part.

YVhere the structure r4is to be :used on a foot havingtenderfor. sore places such as corns, bunions and tender 'ankle-bones, pressure on which partsis to be-avoided, the depressions in the padding, and hereinbefore explained, would be suiliciently deep to prebridged over by the padding. In all of the .examples of Vuse above given it is desired,

though not necessary, that the ,padding be so-` pro-vided as to cause the pressureto be exerted to a uniform degree throughout the areas which are to receive'the pressure.

The padding 7 may be combined with the casing 4L in any suitable manner, lit being desired that it be secured in place thereto as byk stitching it at intervals to the casinO'.

It will be ,understood that by ,preference the structure will be as lightin weight as possible particularly to avoid overheating of the feet. and present-the minimum resistance to the shifting of the encased feet. To

this .end the structure is preferably so Vformed as to present afslit 10 extending Vfrom the upper edge of the. structure at its 1 servestomaintain the foot cooll without imrpairing the structure vforthe intended purposeabove stated.

Any suitable means for holding the structure in encasin'gposition about the foot may `be provided, fsuch as foryexainple those shown andcomprisingv avtapel which may be wound about the structure as shown and its free ends tied asiat 13.

Vhile I have illustrated and described a particular embodiment of my invention, I do not wish to be understood as intending to limit it thereto as the same may be variously modiiie-d and altered and the invention otherwise embodied without departing from the spirit of my invention.

.Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a foot gear, a structure adapted to be applied to, and to extend at opposite sides of the foot comprising abody of padding material internally contoured to rit the sides of the foot, the edges of said body spaced apart at the -instepmand at the bot- -tom portions for purposes of ventilation,

said body havingan external form of regular outlineadapted to Contact substantially uniformly with a supporting surface, whereby pressure of-support ofthe reclining foot shall be substantially uniform over its lower surface, and means to secure the gear upon the foot.

2. Foot-gear comprising a adapted to be applied and secured in position on a foot having a sore or tender portion, to extend at oppositesides of the foot,

said structure comprising a body of suitable U Vmaterial at opposite sides of the-` structure so proportioned and shaped as to avoid pressure from the weight of the foot against such tender or sore portion when the foot is lying on its side, said-body being slottedalong its front, rea-r and sole portions, and

means for holding said body inr `place on the foot. f

3. In a foot-gear,a structure adapted to be applied to, and to extend at opposite sides of the fo-ot comprising a. body ofpadding material internally contouredk toit the sides of the foot,the edges of -said body being spacedapart atvvthe linstep andat the bottom of the structure practically throughout its length for purposesof ventilation, said body'having an external form vofregular outline adapted to contact substantially uniformly with a supporting surf-ace, where- `by pressure lof supportof the reclining foot shall be substantially uniform over its lower surface, and meansy to secure the gear upon the foot.

MARK F. MA-DDEN.

structure K 

